Fun Things To Do This October
The second back to school begins, I immediately get giddy knowing that the fall holiday season is right around the corner. Sure, fall doesn’t officially begin until late September, but Starbucks had me planning ahead the second they did an early release of their Pumpkin Spice Latte. Add in my newest addiction, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, and I was perusing the holiday aisles at every craft store within a 30 mile radius of McKinney. Before I go too crazy into the whole, “It’s Fall Y’all”, we have to talk about which holiday comes first: Halloween! I put together three helpful hints when planning your costumes.
Before I give you those hints, just know that Halloween might get a bad reputation as being all about mischief and mayhem, but that is everyday life anyway if you have children. It’s not bad; it’s reality! My little boo crew LOVES to dress up. Okay, they love getting chocolate wasted, and they will go along with dressing up if candy is the end result.
I also have a little secret; I enjoy watching and having my girls enter in kids’ costume contests. With that said, I enter the ones that we can, but I’m not always as prepared as I would like to be. I would like to fib and say we start planning costumes well in advance, and I do mentally. However, it is typically right around the start of October that I actually start scrambling to bring our ideas to fruition. Here are three helpful hints when planning your costumes that will help you win every contest in the county.
- Ghouls (and goblins) just want to have fun!
Make planning your costume(s) a fun activity getting everyone involved. Sure, you don’t want your toddler cutting strands of glitter tulle or hot gluing googly eyes to a DIY headband, but they want to help and play with mommy (and/or daddy) in the process. For example, if they are going to be a unicorn for Halloween, I ask them to draw me a picture of the unicorn using the colors they want their costumes to be. If they are too young to draw the unicorn, try printing a picture off of the Internet or sketching an outline of that particular costume on typing paper, and have them color near you while you work. They are helping with the design process. This brings a sense of pride and confidence when your little one is wearing the costume that they helped bring to life.
- If you go scary, make it frightfully delightful.
What I mean by that is some kids do LOVE all things scary, and that is absolutely okay. I’m a big fan of scary movies myself. Children walk into Party City and see the classic masks for Leatherface, Ghost Face, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhies, Michael Myers, and more. However, if you do plan on taking home the top prize at a local costume contest, those costumes NEVER win on a child. It’s not because your kiddo wasn’t adorable in their slashed green and red Krueger sweater and camo boots with knee high socks. It’s because the judges don’t want any backlash. I am sharing this knowledge because I have heard this information first hand. Sure, they didn’t directly tell me this, but I was standing too close to the judges trying to hear their comments about my child. I take full credit for being “THAT” mom, but I did learn some valuation information. The judges did mention that someone’s darling daughter would have won, but she was dressed in a “too violent” costume, and the judges didn’t want the backlash from angry parents questioning their decision.
Therefore, if you do go scary, try to not add continuous dripping blood, fishnet stockings, and a leather mini skirt on your toddler. I mean, I’m all for the power of expression, and I will still love that costume if you go in that direction. You just might not take home that playdough gift basket as a prize. That’s why if you go as a villain of any kind, try making it frightfully delightful.
- Plan from bow to toe!
There are so many times I think I’m ready to go in regards to costumes, and then I realize I never decided on shoes, bows, trick or treat bag, etc. I had a friend recently take pictures of her daughter as Forky. She had custom painted shoes, a light up tutu, and a one-of-a-kind tunic made just for her daughter. She had pictures taken by a professional photographer, and only then did she realize what she could have done even better. To her benefit, she plans way in advance, so she has time to add those special details still. Instead of placing her hair in a side ponytail, she is going to do pigtail buns using the Stevie J’s apple red mini schoolgirl clips and place sporks in her buns. Since she is Forky, she is making her trick or treat basket a bedazzled trash can. It’s those little details that make the difference.
These three helpful hints when planning your costumes apply even if you do not want to enter any costume contest. It’s all about having a spooktacular Halloween day that turns into a “Boo”tiful night.
Remember that Stevie J’s is here for all of your bow needs rather it be for your costume or to add the finishing touch to an adorable outfit. We would like to offer our readers a one time “No Tricks...Only Treats” offer of 10% off of your order with code: TREAT through November 2. Don’t forget to share your photos on our VIP Facebook page. Fangs for the memories!